Tenancy Deposit Cap Calculator
Works out the maximum tenancy deposit and holding deposit you can take under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, with the weekly-rent working shown to the penny. England only. The cap is 5 weeks' rent, or 6 weeks where the annual rent is £50,000 or more.
Annual rent: £14,400.00
Auto uses monthly rent x 12. Override it only for unusual cases such as a stepped rent or a rent that changes during the first year.
£1,200.00 x 12 ÷ 52 = £276.92 per week
£276.92 x 5 weeks = £1,384.60
The 5-week cap applies because the annual rent is under £50,000. Tenant Fees Act 2019, Schedule 1.
Enter a proposed deposit on the left to check it against the cap, or just read the figures below.
- Maximum tenancy deposit (5 weeks)£1,384.60
- One week's rent£276.92
- Maximum holding deposit (1 week)£276.92Must be refunded or credited unless the tenant withdraws or fails checks
Once you receive the deposit you have 30 days to protect it in an approved scheme (DPS, MyDeposits or TDS) and serve the prescribed information (Housing Act 2004 s.213). Missing it risks a penalty of 1 to 3 times the deposit (s.214).
Step-by-step scheme registration plus the Prescribed Information template and 30-day deadline tracker.
End-of-Tenancy Deposit Deduction Pack · £19What landlords ask about the deposit cap
What is the maximum tenancy deposit a landlord can take in England?▾
Under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, the tenancy deposit is capped at 5 weeks' rent where the total annual rent is less than £50,000, or 6 weeks' rent where the annual rent is £50,000 or more. Taking more than the cap is a prohibited payment and the excess must be returned.
How do I work out one week's rent for the deposit cap?▾
Multiply the monthly rent by 12 to get the annual rent, then divide by 52. For example, £1,200 per month is £14,400 per year, which is £276.92 per week. Five weeks' rent is then £1,384.62, the maximum deposit for that tenancy.
What are the rules on holding deposits?▾
A holding deposit is capped at 1 week's rent under the Tenant Fees Act 2019. It must be refunded or credited towards the first rent payment or the tenancy deposit. A landlord may only keep it in limited cases, for example where the tenant withdraws, fails a right-to-rent check, or gave false or misleading information.
What is the 30-day deposit protection deadline and what is the penalty?▾
In England the landlord must protect the deposit in a government-approved scheme and serve the prescribed information on the tenant within 30 days of receiving it (Housing Act 2004 s.213). Failure carries a court-awarded penalty of between 1 and 3 times the deposit (Housing Act 2004 s.214), and an unprotected deposit can block a rent-arrears possession claim until it is repaid.
Can a landlord take a separate pet deposit?▾
No. The Tenant Fees Act 2019 cap applies to the total deposit, so a landlord cannot add a separate pet deposit on top of the 5 or 6 week limit. A landlord may instead agree a higher rent that reflects the pet, and under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 may require appropriate pet insurance when consenting to a pet.
What is the prescribed information for a tenancy deposit?▾
The prescribed information is a set of statutory details the landlord must give the tenant within 30 days of receiving the deposit: which scheme protects the deposit, how the deposit is held, how to raise a dispute, and the circumstances in which deductions may be made. Serving it late or not at all attracts the same 1 to 3 times penalty as failing to protect the deposit.
Information only, not legal advice. England (Tenant Fees Act 2019; Housing Act 2004 ss.213 to 214). Figures are rounded to the penny; check your scheme's own guidance before taking or returning a deposit.